Lubricating means for the propelling mechanism of automobile torpedoes



W. DIETER.

LUBRICATING MEANS FOR THE PROPELLING MECHANISIVI 0F AUTOMOBILE TORPIDES.y

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9| i920.

1358206@ Mmmm. 9,1920.,

By Attorneys,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

`WIIIIJIZIIIM DIETER, OF BROOKLYN, YORK.

I.InaItIemIII/ei MEANS For, THE

j Specification of Letters Patent.

rnorELLING' MEcHAmsm or AUTOMOBILE 'roarEDoEs Patented Nov. 9, 1920.v

Original application led November 24, 1919,v Serial No. 840,398. vDivided and this application filed Febiruary 9, 1920. Serial No. 357,211.'

does, 'of which theffollowing is a specifica? tion. Y

This invention relates to means for lubricating the turbine propelling mechanism for the propulsion of automobile torpedoes.

The patent to F. M. Leavitt, No. 1,150,777,

granted August 17, 1915, sets forth certain lubricating means for the ropelling mechanism of torpedoes of the liss-Leavitt type.

The present invention provides certain improved lubricating means, the nature and as the description proceeds.

advantages of which will be made 'apparent Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical longitudinal midsection of the driving mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line Referring to the drawings, A designates the transverse bulkhead of the torpedo, which in general is of the usual known construction; B and B are the primary and secondary turbine wheels; C is the turbine shaft; D and D are the respective propeller shafts, and E is the bearing frame for said shafts and for the transmission gear1ng.

The shaft C carries a pinion a near lts -lower end., which pinion meshes with a gear wheel b which carries a bevel pinion c either fixed to it or formed integrally with it. This pinion meshes on. opposite sides with bevel gears d d', the former being fixed on the shaft D and the latter being fixed on the shaft D', as heretofore. The gears b 0 turn on a stationary vertical shaft or crosshead F made fast at both ends in the frame E, lthus constituting a part of this frame. Its lower portion forms a journal or bearing forthe -ings e e respectively, as heretofore, the stationary track rings f f ofthese' bearings being supported upon suitable bosses g g formed on the crosshead F. The end thrust of the propeller shafts D is resisted by a ball bearing k. l

The turbine shaft C is mounted in an upper ball bearing i and a lower double ball bearing y', the outer stationary raceways of which are heldin a tubular housing G' which extends vertically between and is fastened to the frames E and so constitutes a portion ofthe framework. In order that the turbine wheels may readily be adjusted vertically to bring them into Correct I-relation with .the nozzle la and reversing .block Z, provision is made for adjusting frame, preferably 'by screwthreading Ait ex-l -teriorly and mounting it in athreaded opening in some part of the framework, referably the foot o f the tubular housing The sleeve m is best made with a .middle rib separating the two rows of balls constituting the ball bearing j, so that the respective balls are confined vertically 4between this rib' and disk flanges n n which are formed or fastened on theshaft C, being preferably made separately and clamped in place by the screw sleeve p which carries the usual worm g which drives in the known manner the lubricating pump.

For properly centering the propelling mechanism within the torpedo, and for supporting part of its weight and to that eX- tent relieving the framework E, the housing G is formed on its forward side with a boss G in concentric. alinement with the axis of the shafts D D', this boss being received in a hole u formed in a hangar A convl strueted preferably as a piece of steel plate loosely united to the bulkhead A by means of a rivet or similar connection fv.

For the lubrication of the propelling mechanism oil is supplied under pressure in any suitable manner. rlhe manner customary in the Bliss-Leavitt torpedo is by means of an oil force pump driven from the worm g. For an understanding of su'ch'lu-- ball bearings and the gear teeth. It is desirable to avoid any atomization of the oil outside of the gear group, and to this` end provision is made for catching the oil thrown off centrifugally from the bushing at the upper end of the pinion o and causing it to lose its rotary motion and drip directly downward without atomization. For this purpose the upper 'frame E is formed in its under side as an inverted dish or saucer having aange 19 which catches the out-flying oil and causes it to drip down-` ward, as shown by the arrows, so that it is subjected for the shortestpossible time to the heat of the upper frame member and drips quickly down into a cooler zone beneath, thereby minimizing the vaporization of the oil. Another advantage of the improved construction is that the only oil connections are made with stationary parts, whereas previously the turbine shaft was oiled through a swivel joint, which involved considerable difficulty.

It must not be inferred from the p ar-l t'icularity of detail with which the preferred construction is herein shown and described, that the invention is limited to such details, it being obvious that the construction may be considerably modified without departing from the essential features of the invention which are set forth in the appended claims.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 340,358, filed November 24, 1919, to which reference may be made for a more full description of those features of construction other than the lubricating` means.

I claim:

1.` In a torpedo, the combination of a 4turbine` and its shaft, inner and outer propeller shafts, intermediate gearing, and a bearing frame therefor comprising ball bearings for said turbine shaft, and means for lubricating such bearings comprising an oil inlet and duct communicating from .a source of oil to the ball race of one of said bearings.

2. The combination of claim 1, plus means for conducting an excess of oil from such bearin to thev other bearing of said\ turbine shaf. v

3. The combination ofclaim 1, said bearing frame comprising a housing inclosing the turbine shaft, ball bearings for, said shaft mounted in said housing, the oil inlet to the upper of said` bearings, and the-in terior of the housing communicating thence with the lower of said bearings for conducting surplus oil to thelatter. j

4. The combination of claim 1, the bearing frame comprising an end thrustball bearing for one of said propeller shafts,

and means for. discharging surplus oil from ler shafts,

. gally from such bearing drip downward to diminish vaporization of said turbine shaft bearing to said end thrust bearing.

5. The combination of claim 4, the bearing frame comprising a housing having an opening communicating with said-thrust bearing, and thev turbine shaft carrying y.means for throwing oil centrifugally through said opening to lubricate such thrust bearing.

n a torpedo, the combination of a turbine vand its shaft, inner and outer propeller shafts, intermediate gearing, and a bearing frame thereforcomprising a crosshead forming bearing journals for members of such gearing, .said crosshead having a central opening for a propeller shaft, and having oil ducts non-communicating with said opening, an oil inlet admitting oil to said ducts, and branch ducts leading thence to the journal bearing surfaces for lubricatin said bearing.

. In a torpedo, .the combination of a turl bine and its shaft, inner and outer propellntermediate gearing, and a bearing frame thereof comprising a crosshead forming bearing journals for members of suchl gearing, ducts leading oil to the bearing surfaces of said gearing, said bearing frame having ball bearings for the respective propeller shafts, and a-member of said gearing carrying a projecting portion communicating with the bearing vsurfaces and adapted -to receive surplus oil therefrom and throw it off centrifugally to lubricate said ball bearings.'

v'8. In a torpedo, the combination of a' turbine and its shaft, inner and outer propeller shafts, intermediate gearing, and a bearin frame therefor,'with an oil inlet admitting oil toa duct in vsaid frame .to lubricate a member of said gearing, said frame "rovided with a downward flange adapte to catch oil discharged centrifuand cause it to the 01,1.

-9.v In a torpedo, the -ccombiI-lation of a tur- 'l bine and its shaft, and an for said shaftthe outer member or ball race ofsaid bearing having upper' and lower 'ilanges, of means for introducing a stream of oil to said member, between said flanges for lubricating and cooling the bearing. 10. In atorpedol having turbine propellingY mechanism, comprising a turbine-and its-shaft, and bearingsi'for said shaft, lubricating means therefor comprising oil inlets'to stationary members of the bearings for said. shaft. p

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM DIETER. y

upper ball-bearingl 

